


Across the Universe

by eyesonly



Category: The Hobbit RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Romance, dean was never in the hobbit AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-05-19 15:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5973166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyesonly/pseuds/eyesonly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns</p>
<p>
It calls me on and on, across the universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Across the Universe

**Author's Note:**

> Another prompt fill based off the prompt _“Rob was never replaced, therefore Dean never joins the film. Aidan meets Dean off-set at a pub or a Con (Dean might be there for some other reason, Almighty Johnsons or some other TV show/film he’s done) or somewhere. Sparks fly.”_ This kind of took on a life of its own and became ten little ficlets in one. Thank you for all of the kudos, comments, and bookmarks!  <3

**_one. 2011._ **

Aidan sits alone in a quiet bar in Wellington, mindlessly sipping a glass of Guinness.

This was supposed to be the job of a lifetime. A dream shoot in Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth universe that he would dread the day it ended.

But here he was counting the days until the end of the first movie.

The rumors that they were to make it into three made him almost physically ill.

His costars we great for the most part. Adam had quickly become his best mate, with Graham and Stephen not far behind.

It was his egotistical and rude ‘brother’ that was the problem.

Day in and day out working with an overly competitive and pretentious costar he was supposed to look at as a brother was wearing him thin.

A man with styled blond hair sits next to him and orders a Stella Artois. He has a general air of confidence and a bit of sophistication that is still a little foreign, but he’s discovering is just a New Zealand thing.

Aidan runs a hand through his own mussed up hair cursing the oiled feel of lack of wash.

They make brief eye contact and give each other a polite nod.

Aidan finishes his drink.

**_two._ **

So it’s official. Three movies are happening.

Meaning almost another year and a half on this forsaken island.

Aidan orders a vodka and soda with a distinct pout on his face.

“Not a good day, mate?”

Aidan looks over and is greeted with an apologetic smile from the blond from a few nights earlier.

“You could say that,” he knocks back his drink motioning at the bartender for another.

“Sometimes it helps to talk to an objective ear,” the blond offers.

“Just work. Found out I’m going to be stuck on this shit city for longer than expected.”

“Shit city?” the Kiwi sounds amused with a hint of offense.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean the island was shit just being here is shit and I’m stuck with a shit coworker who makes my life…”

“Shit?”

Aidan softly laughs, “Yeah. Maybe I’m a touch homesick too, but that wasn’t fair. I apologize for cursing your hometown.”

“Nah, I’m an Aucklander. No worries, mate. It is kind of shit, to be perfectly honest.”

Aidan smiles taking a sip of his new drink.

The blond smiles and holds out a hand, “Dean.”

Aidan takes it with a firm grip, “Aidan.”

“Scottish?”

“Irish.”

“Sorry, I’m awful at accents,” he laughs self-deprecatingly.

“Don’t worry, happens all the time,” Aidan feels the need to reassure him.

The two sit casually talking about Ireland and New Zealand, the differences and similarities. Aidan just finding himself drawn to the blond man.

When they part for the night they wish each other good night, the silent wish to see each other again lingering in the space between them.

**_three._ **

“So why are you in Wellington?” Aidan asks.

A few days pass and they find themselves in the same bar, in the same seats, talking until close.

“Working on a photography project.”

“So you’re a photographer?”

“Among other things.”

“What are you photographing?”

“Recreating up close scenes from Vietnam War.”

Aidan nods impressed, “That sounds really interesting. How long is it going to last?”

“A couple months. My team just finally found a place willing to let us take the pictures. I’m working on casting models and all those other ins and outs. Hopefully I can wrap it up by the end of the summer.”

Aidan nods listening intently.

“What are you doing in Wellington?” Dean casually questions.

“Uh, just business.”

“In?”

“Entertainment.”

Dean raises his eyebrows, “What part of the industry?”

Aidan finds himself easily lying, not wanting to spoil the connection, “PR, boring stuff really.”

Dean shrugs with a nod.

“So tell me more about your project,” Aidan eagerly asks, the two again talking until close.

**_four._ **

The two sit in silence for a few minutes just drinking.

“You didn’t tell me you were an actor.”

“It’s kind of weird to bring up. How did you find out?”

“I saw your show on a rerun on the telly.”

“Outed by syndication.”

“Your character Anders is kind of an asshole, by the way.”

“He’s supposed to be.”

They fall into another stretch of silence.

“I lied too.”

“About your job?”

Aidan nods.

“I figured, you look too sloppy to be in PR, no offense.”

He can’t help but chuckle at the honesty.

“I act too.”

“I want to add that I didn’t lie why I’m here. I act and I’m a photographer.”

“I don’t do PR. Just an actor.”

“You doing anything interesting here?”

“Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit,” Aidan admits now feeling the need to be completely honest.

Dean openly gapes, “Holy shit, you’re an actor-actor. I thought you were going to say theater or something. Wow, that’s actually really impressive. I auditioned for it like a year ago but nothing came of it. How is it, the shoot?”

Aidan shrugs, “Not all I hoped it to be.”

“Why is that?” Dean frowns.

“My main costar and I don’t get on well. He’s kind of a prick. He’s a bit more established than I am and likes to make everything a damn pissing contest. We’re supposed to be brothers but I can barely act like I can tolerate him, much less my brother who I’m supposed to care about more than anyone else.”

“It’s hard to work with someone you have zero chemistry with.”

Aidan nods scrubbing his face.

Dean looks warmly at the younger man, pulling out a pen and grabbing a napkin.

“Here’s my number, give me a call if you’re frustrated or need to rant to someone not on set. Or if you want to talk at all. Maybe we can help each other survive Welly, yeah?”

Aidan smiles taking down his pen doing the same.

**_five._ **

Dean is resting in his rental flat when he gets the text.

_I’m tired, grumpy, and bored._

Dean smiles a little.

_Want company?_

_My trailer is pretty small._

_You can come over to my flat. We can watch a movie or something._

_Send me directions._

When Aidan arrives his hair is pulled back in a sloppy bun, his clothes wrinkles and worn, but overall Dean decides he looks comfy which he can’t begrudge him.

“Everything okay?” Dean cautiously asks.

“Yeah, just a long day. A lot of fighting. I just feel tired and didn’t want to mull by myself.”

“Well feel free to mull in my humble abode,” Dean tries to lighten the lines on the younger man’s face.

The statement earns him a small smile.

Dean pops in, at Aidan’s insistence, a documentary on World War I. The two rest on the couch. The silence is tense until Aidan suddenly blurts out.

“I broke up with my girlfriend today.”

Dean looks over, taken aback by the sudden admission.

“I’m sorry, mate. Any particular reason why?”

“Distance. Personality. It didn’t feel right.”

“What was her name?”

“Sarah.”

Dean laughs. It’s mirthful with a hint of bitterness. Aidan gives him a questioning look.

“I broke up with my ex-girlfriend right before I came out here. Her name was Sarah too.”

Aidan lets out a quiet snort.

It doesn’t take long for Aidan to slowly gravitate over to him. Dean feeling the pull as well. As if there were forces beyond their understanding bringing them together.

Both actors. Both craving artistic significance. Both living in worlds marked with post-Sarah. Both living in Wellington at the same predisposed moment in time.

Both feeling as if the universe were bringing them together in that moment to fix some cosmic wrong.

By the end of the film, Aidan’s head is in Dean’s lap with him running gentle fingers through the dark curls easing the tension out of the younger man’s body.

Aidan leaves that night.

He kisses Dean’s cheek.

“Thanks, Deano.”

Dean feels his heart swell at the sudden nickname.

“Anytime, Aid.”

**_six._ **

Aidan finds himself at Dean’s flat more often than not during his free time.

They watch movies, read, listen to music, talk about art and history, both filling in each other’s gaps of knowledge in a meeting of ideas.

Aidan isn’t surprised at himself when his lips surge forward to finds Dean’s when the older man is in the height of explaining theories of what he thinks will be in the next Star Wars if they were to make one.

It seems so dumb and nerdy, and it is to be perfectly honest. But it has nothing to do with Star Wars, or Claude Monet, or the British Royal Air Force flight maneuvers in World War II, or any other ridiculous thing Dean goes on about.

It’s Dean’s passion. His enthusiasm and overzealousness for so many things that just keeps drawing Aidan closer and closer to him.

Dean furthers the kiss cupping his hands over Aidan’s jawline pulling him closer.

The night ends with a tangle of heated limbs and discarded clothes.

They both tell themselves this isn’t forever and the realities of both their lives will catch up with them.

But for now, Aidan buries his head into Dean’s bare and golden chest knowing that he isn’t leaving tonight.

**_seven._ **

“You’re coming out of a guerilla style attack, several men under your command have died. You feel guilty, angry, with a healthy dose of fear. Even though you’ve made it out of this attack, you have no idea if you’re going to make it out of the next. You’ve seen so much death. Enemies, brothers, innocent women and children. More than anything, you’re just tired of it all.”

Dean’s voice is soft behind the camera.

Aidan stands processing the image Dean has laid out in front of him. He swallows and nods, looking away from the camera forlorn.

He’s in full Vietnam-era military garb. After a few weeks of Dean subtly hinting that he wants Aidan to be a part of his project, he volunteers to help his…

Boyfriend? Partner? Friend with benefits?

They don’t label it, it just is.

It’s only been a few weeks but it all just feels _right_.

It isn’t too hard to look upset when he remembers Dean is flying back to Auckland in two days.

And he’d be here still in Wellington.

Dean snaps the photos.

“Perfect, Aid.”

**_eight._ **

They become masters of Skyping and texting over the next few months.

Aidan knows he is burning a steady hole in his pocket from his phone bills and his occasional flights to the north island, but it’s all worth it in his eyes.

He meets Dean’s friends and family, he falls in love with his lovable monster of a dog. The whole thing is sickeningly domestic and Aidan just finds himself not caring.

Dean himself starts coming on set himself, reconnecting with a few of the Kiwi actors he’s worked with in the past. He gets on well with the rest of the cast, Graham jokingly referring to him as the honorary dwarf.

It’s on a late night shoot when Dean is on set having flown in the morning prior, politely out of the way a cup of coffee warming in his hands. The guys all going out after, sans Rob who rarely joins the group.

Between scenes Aidan is at his side talking with Jed and Adam.

Rob is talking with his makeup assistant when he says loud enough for Aidan to hear, “This is a movie set, not a social hour. How professional is it to bring your bed warmer to work?”

Maybe it’s the time of the day, or the building stress of the length of the shoot but Aidan looks over.

“Excuse me?”

Rob tries to laugh it of seeing the ire in his face, “I’m just messing with you, Turner.”

Aidan swiftly moves over getting in his face, “Is there something you want to say, mate?”

“Fine, I think it’s extremely unprofessional for you to bring some random guy here so often.”

“And you are guest police now? I didn’t know we had to have guests pre-approved by you,” Aidan shoots back.

Dean pulls his arm back, “Aid, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not! He is an actor and a professional just like you are, how dare you refer to him as a ‘bed warmer’? Go fuck yourself, Kazinsky!” Aidan is yelling now in his face and Rob is slinging curses back.

Dean and Jed pull Aidan back, Graham puts himself between the two feuding actors.

“Back to your corners, lads. It’s been a long day, I think everyone is a bit on edge,” Graham tries to placate the two.

They shoot is abruptly ended. Aidan apologizing profusely to a surprisingly understanding Peter Jackson.

Dean takes Aidan to his trailer after he is out of his costume and makeup knowing he is still simmering.

“You doing okay, Aid?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, kind of neat to have someone defend my honor,” he has a light and amused smile.

“He calls me unprofessional? I would never call any girl he’s with a bed warmer,” Aidan grumbles.

They don’t go out that night. They lay together drinking wine and watching a murder mystery.

“They almost recasted, Rob. I heard.”

“Why didn’t they?”

“When they asked him he was pretty determined to stay.”

“That’s a shame.”

“No kidding.”

They both sip the earthy merlot, shoulders touching, their free arms laced together.

“I think you would have been a good Fili.”

Dean laughs a little, “I don’t think the little mustache braids would suit me.”

Aidan smiles pressing a kiss against his lips.

**_nine._ **

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know, we’re only outing ourselves to millions of people.”

Aidan softly chuckles adjusting his tie in the mirror, Dean at his side doing the same.

“I’m sure, Dean.”

“What if it affects your career? What if that BBC show backs out on you?”

“There will always be other jobs.”

Dean stops and looks at him before pressing a kiss to his temple.

“I love you, Aid.”

“Love you too, Deano.”

Their car soon arrives. When it pulls up at the red carpet they get out hand in hand.

There is buzz of the two actors coming out together, but Aidan keeps the focus on the movie and those who worked on it.

It’s their first Hollywood premiere and Aidan knows it won’t be the last.

They know there will be distance. They are separated by days. One always ahead or behind the other.

Aidan is in New Zealand for another year before he is days away from moving back to Europe.

It doesn’t surprise Aidan when Dean tells him he is going to photograph full time and put his acting on hold.

It doesn’t surprise him when he starts talking about getting his own studio space and travelling all over the world to shoot more in his war series.

It does surprise him when Dean sends him listings for dog-friendly places in England and Ireland.

**_ten. 2016._ **

“Did you know that there is probably a universe where we never met at that bar five years ago?”

Aidan groans, “Not this metaphysical bullshit, Dean. I’m on vacation, I don’t want to think.”

“No hear me out, there is a universe where we missed each other in that bar that nice and every night after.”

“And there is a universe where we never became actors, or we never did half the things we did. But we did those things, and here we sit on a beach in Waiheke celebrating our honeymoon,” Aidan dramatically throws his head back, his curls barely brushing the sand.

“I wonder if there is a universe where you aren’t so annoying and you let me finish talking?” Dean shoots back.

Aidan rolls his eyes behind his sunglasses, motioning for him to continue.

“Yes, there are probably infinite universes filled with all the hypotheticals in our lives. The thing is I like to think one thing is the same across every universe.”

“What’s that?”

“That we fell in love.”

Aidan looks over.

“Maybe we didn’t fall head over heels and move in together, or even date for that matter. Maybe we just stayed friends. Maybe our relationship was built upon unspoken words and missed chances. Maybe we stayed with people we didn’t love as much. Maybe we couldn’t work through the distance. Maybe we couldn’t get past our own selfish wants. Maybe we grew old and unhappy not together.”

Aidan’s face softens, his fingers move finding Dean’s amongst the white powdery sand.

“Maybe, just maybe, we weren’t this.”

“But?”

“But even with all of these maybes, I can’t imagine there being a universe that exists where we didn’t find and love each other.”

Aidan leans over stealing his lips in a soft but ardent kiss, the warm January sun washing over them in golden rays. They pull apart just a fraction of an inch, their lips still ghosting over one another’s.

“Nothing could keep us apart, Dean, even across the universe.”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr @ [imri-zaiza](http://imri-zaiza.tumblr.com/)


End file.
